a geologist bakes

June 24, 2015June 24, 2015

Lime and mint posset

I scarcely believe this qualifies as a recipe. You heat cream and sugar then add a flavour. But nonetheless it is this week’s recipe. Let it be said that as a somewhat new mother the term posset is a little unpleasant because it also refers to the milk vomit babies do. Hungry for the recipe now I imagine.

I’ve never made a posset before but I often enjoy them while out. Now I can’t get baby vomit out of my head and it’s making my sentences odd. Anyway, I often order them and have once seen them made on tv but I didn’t trust the chef. It just seemed too easy and there doesn’t appear to be any obvious setting agent.

So, as per usual, this Wednesday came around a little quicker than expected. All I had in the fridge was half a large bottle of cream and my very sad fruit bowl had some underwhelming pink lady apples, a gone off nectarine and two limes. Posset was pretty much the only dessert possible, so posset it shall be. It actually proves to be a pleasngly tangy little number. I should mention, that a posset – in the dessert sense – is a loosely set, chilled cream.

Also, I always like a wee scent of mint on citrus things and my mint plant in the garden is threatening to ravage it’s neighbours so it got a savage haircut too.

As I said above there, I only had half a carton of cream so this is a modest recipe, sufficient for only two but multiply up if you’re entertaining or feeling sorry for yourself.

Cream 200ml

Caster sugar 50g

Mint leaves 5 large

Limes 2 (zest and juice)

There are only after photos for this recipe because all action shots would be pointless, you can use your imagination.

Choose two receptacles for the posset. I used two little water glasses but bowls or wine glasses would work too.

Pour the cream into a saucepan and add the sugar then pop the pan on a medium heat. Take the mint leaves and scrunch them up in your hands, try not to rip them into pieces, it’ll only complicate your life later. Throw them into the cream too.

Zest your limes and add all but a pinch of it into the cream. Let the cream heat away for about 5mins to let the flavours infuse. You can be juicing the limes while that’s happening.

After the 5mins turn up the heat under the cream to high. The cream will start boiling, which is what you’re after, and as it does so turn the heat down a little.

Stir constantlyish for 3mins, making sure not to let the cream boil over. Remove it from the heat, remove the mint leaves and stir in the lime juice. Pour into a jug for ease of pouring and then decant into your chosen vessels.

Chill for at least 3hrs. Sprinkle on the left over lime zest. I am serving my posset with amaretti biscuits. I know I use them all the time but they really are so delicious and it means I don’t have to make anything else. If you were feeling industrious feel free to make the shortbread from a while back.